Robonica, a South African robotics entertainment company, has announced that it will release a new RFID-enabled remote control robot toy in late September.

The programmable Rononi-i comes equipped with 16 RFID and infrared sensors that allow it to interact with its surroundings.

The Roboni-i has a number of quirks that separate it from other robotic toys. If left to itself, Roboni-i will seek out other robots or objects to interact with. Roboni-i owners will also be able to program their robot with its own personality based on four artificial intelligence characteristics – playful, adventurous, competitive and mission-oriented.

With Roboni-i, Robonica hopes to achieve a balance between virtual and physical play. The robot can be hooked up to a computer via an Ethernet port, allowing Roboni-i owners access to an interactive virtual world where they can play online with their robot as well as download new games and programs from Robonica’s Web site directly into the toy.